Shoe machine



Feb. 29, 19 44. A.' R. MoRRlLL y SHOE MACHINE Filed Nov. 4, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb 29- 1944. A. R. MoRRlLl- 2,342,683

sHoE MACHINE File'd Nov. 4, 1940 s sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 29, 1944. 1 A R,MQRRlLL '2,342,683

SHOE MACHINE Filed Nov. 4, 1940 3 sheets-sheet s v *Elzg 'i/L 0 b lPatented Feb. 29, 1944 SHOE MACHINE Alfred R. Morrill, Beverly, Mass.,assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N.J., a corporation of Newy Jersey Application November 4, 1940,;seria1No. '364,222

(c1. i12-5o) 13 Claims.

The present invention relates to shoe machines, ind is herein shown asembodied in an automatic nachine for sewing welt shoes, Which issubstantially similar in construction and mode of operation with thatillustrated in a copending application of the present applicant for Shoema- ,hines, Serial No. 364,223, iiled November 4, 1940.

The illustrated machine is of the general type .n which the shoe issupported upon a jack, and

in which the jack and the operating means are moved relatively totransfer the point of operation about the shoe, and to change therelative positions of the shoe and the operating means to cause the shoeto be presented properly to the operating means as the point ofoperation is transferred around the shoe, all of the relative movementsof the shoe and the Operating means being produced and controlled byautomatically acting mechanism.

While the several mechanisms of the present invention are particularlyapplicable to the shoe machine above referred to, it is to be understoodthat the invention in its broad aspects is not limited to use in a fullyautomatic machine, and also that, except as defined in the claims, theseveral features of the invention are not limited to any particularconstruction and arrangement of parts.

The stitch forming and work positioning devices of the illustratedmachine include a curved hooked needle which strikes into the Work at anangle, passing through portions of the welt, upper and insole for sewingtogether these parts, and a channel guide which engages in a stitchreceiving channel provided in the exposed surface `of the insole forpositioning the work with relation to the sewing mechanism and aboutwhich the shoe is tipped and turned during the progress of the sewingoperation to present the shoe properly to the sewing mechanism.

With this conventional construction of the sewing and work positioningdevices, diiliculty has been encountered in properly locating thosestitches of the seam adjacent the breast line of the heel. The shoe, inlthe condition in which it is presented to the welt sewing mechanism,ordinarily comprises an insole and an upper, together with a counter anda lining, assembled upon and temporarily secured to a last. Owing to theconfiguration of the last and the assembled parts of the shoe, theretends to be formed an extra thickness or bunch of material at the breastline of the heel which causes the welt when laid in position on theupper to be displaced with respect to the point of support of the shoeprovided by the engagementy of the channel guide with the stitchreceiving channel of the insole.

In the performance of the welt sewing operation on machines ofcommercial types in which the shoe is presented tothe Sewing mechanismby the operator, it is the usual practice. for the operator to turn thewelt outwardly at the breast line of the heel, and to sharply `turn ortwist the shoe so that the needle, loperating in fixed relation to thechannel gui-de, will not strike too deeply into the work at the breastline of the heel with consequent damage to the appearance of thefinished shoe and possible injury to the upper. This manipulation oi theshoe when performed manually, requires a high degree of skill on thepart of the operator, and as applied to machines in which the shoe isypresented to the stitching mechanism by automatic means, becomes evenmore difficult becauser of the extreme movements recuiired,r and alsobecause of variations from shoe to shoe in the amount by which the upperand welt are displaced.

It is a principal object of the present invention to improve ltheconstruction and mode of operation of an inseam sewing machine of thegeneral type havin-g stitch forming devices including a curved needleand work positioning devices cooperating therewith, to cause theposition of the shoe with relation to the stitch forming devices to beadjusted during the transfer of the operation about the shoe tocompensate for irregularities in the formation of the shoe tending todisplace the welt and upper with respect to the guiding contour normallydepended upon to locate the shoe with respect to the needle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in an inseam sewingmachine of this description, means for relatively positioning the needleand shoe positioning devices to cause the needle to strike less deeplyinto the work during those portions of the `operation adjacent thebreast line of the heel in order to properly place the stitches of theseam with relation to the welt and upper.

Specifically, it is an object of the invention to improve theconstruction and mode of operation of an automatic shoe sewing machineadapted for sewing welt shoes to cause the stitch forming and workguiding devices to properly position the line of stitching with respectto the welt and upper, particularly during the formation of the initialand final stitches of the seam at the breast line of the heel.

With these and other objects in view, as hereinafter appear, a principalfeature of the invention consists in the provision in an inseam sewingmachine having a curved needle and a work positioning member arranged toengage with the sole portion of the shoe, of means for effecting arelative adjustment of the work positioning member and the stitchforming devices including the needle, during continued operation of thestitching mechanism to vary the depth at which the needle strikes intothe Work.

More specifically, a feature of the invention consists in the provisionof automatic means.-

operable during the progress of the sewing operation around the shoe toposition the channel guide with relation to the needle to eiectpredetermined variations of the depth atvwhich the needle strikes intothe work.

The several features of the invention consists also of devices,combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimedwhich, together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will bereadily understood by one skilled in the art from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a view in right side elevation of an automatic inseam sewingmachine illustrating a preferred form of the present invention; Fig. 2is an enlarged detail view in right side elevation of applicants channelguide and associated mechanism for effecting vertical adjustment of thechannel guide with respect to the stitch forming mechanism including theneedle, theparts being shown in a position of normal adjustment; Fig. 3is an enlarged detail sectional view in right side elevation, showingsubstantially the parts in Fig. 2, but taken on a line 3-3 of Fig. 4,and with the channel guide shown in a fully depressed position so thatthe needle will strike into the work at an abnormally high level; Fig. lis a plan view of substantially the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5is a view in front elevation, partly in section, showing the channelguide and its supporting slide assembly in the sewing head of themachine; and Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing particularly thepattern cam and cam lever for automatically controlling the adjustmentof the channel guide.

The automatic inseam sewing machine herein disclosed as embodying theseveral features of the invention comprises a machine casing built up ofa base section I0, a middle or column section I2 and an operating head I4, on which is y'supported a driving motor I6 for the machine.

while supported on a last, including a curved hooked needle designed atI8, and work positioning devices including a channel guide which isarranged to engage with a stitch receiving channel formed in the exposedsurface of the insole for positioning the shoe with relation to thestitch forming devices. The several cooperating instrumentalities of thestitch forming mechanism are not specically illustrated, inasmuch as anyconventional form of such mechanism may be employed as, for example,that specifically illustrated in applicants copending application abovereferred to.

' The present machine is provided with a shoe supporting jack andsupporting and actuating mechanism for the jack arranged to present theshoel to the sewing mechanism and to automatically transfer the point ofoperation about the shoe. The lasted shoe, indicated generally at 22, issupported on a jack 24, which may be of ordinary construction and is nottherefore specically illustrated. The jack is mounted on the upper endof a vertically arranged spindle 28, which is rotatably and swingablymounted on gimbal bearings in the outer end of a horizontally arrangedjack supporting arm 28 forming part of a jack supporting assemblyadapted for imparting turning, and lateral and longitudinal tippingmovements to the shoe about the point of contact of the shoe with thechannel guide During the operation on a shoe, the jack is supportedyieldingly upwardly and outwardly to maintain the point of contact ofthe channel guide with the shoe through connections which include avertically arranged jack supporting rod 39, pivotally connected at itsupper end to the under side of the horizontally disposed arm 28, and atits lower end to a horizontally arranged control lever 32 which is actedupon by springs 3d to force the jack yieldingly upwardly against theWork. A tension spring 35, connected between the downward extension ofthe spindle 26 and the supporting rod 30, tends to swing the jackoutwardly to maintain the channel portion of the shoe in engagement withthe channel guide. For moving the jack into and out of operatingposition, there is provided a toggle connection comprising pivotallyconnected arms 36, 3S, the arm 36 being pivoted at 4u on the machineframe, and the arm 38 being pivotally connected with the control lever32. Mechanism is provided, but not here shown, which is renderedoperative upon the jacking of a shoe, to break the toggle connection 36,38, so that the jacked shoe is moved yieldingly upwardly into operativerelationship with the sewing mechanism, and in stopping ie machine, tostraighten the toggle mechanism and thereby move the shoe outwardly andaway from the sewing mechanism.

In accordance with the usual practice in these machines, the operationof the jack is automatically controlled by means of cams on a verticallyarranged pattern cam shaft 44, which is power driven through a drivingand stopping mechanism from the motor I6. ping mechanism of the machineis shown generally in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to include a verticallyarranged drive shaft 46, continuously driven from the motor I6, and amain driving clutch comprising a driving element 48 operativelyconnected with the drive shaft 46, and a driven element 5l! which isconnected through appropriate connections to drive the sewing mechanisinand also to drive the pattern cam shaft 44. Inasmuch as these parts arefully illustrated in applicants copending application above referred to,and form specifically no part of the present invention, furtherillustration thereof has been omitted.

In accordance with the present invention, applicant provides means forautomatically adjusting the position of the channel guide 2l) withrelation to the stitch forming devices including the curved hookedneedle I8, to vary the depth at which the needle enters the work duringthe progress of the sewing operation about certain parts of the solemargin of the shoe. The machine herein disclosed is particularlyarranged for the sewing of a welted shoe in which the sewing operationis initiated at the breast line of the heel and extends around the shankand forepart portions of the shoe, terminating again at the breast lineof the heel.

Specifically, in accordance with the invention,

The driving and stop-f applicant proposes to locate the channel guide ina depressed position for the starting position of the machine, and then,during the formation of the initial stitches of the seam, to graduallymove the channel'guide upwardly to its normal position, which ismaintained during the transfer o the point of operation about the shoe,the channel guide again being moved downwardly during the forming of thefinal stitches of the seam at the termination of the sewing operation atthe breast line of the heel. In this manner, applicant has been able toeffect adequate compensation for the dislocation of the welt and uppercaused by the bunching of material at the breast line of the heel, andto insure the proper location of the initial and nal stitches of theseam in the work for properly securing the leading and terminatingportions of the welt to the insole and associated upper at the breastline of the heel.

To this end, the channel guide 29 is formed on the lower end of avertically arranged slide 52, mounted in a guideway 54 in the operatinghead I4. The slide 52 has formed therein a transverse slot 56, throughwhich extends a cross pin 58, which is journalled in the bearings formedin the operating head. An eccentric cam Si), secured to the crossr pin58 is loosely fitted in the slot 56 to permit a limited verticalmovement of the slide 52 and channel guide 2B with relation thereto. Acompression spring 62, seated in a Vertical recess 64 in the slide 52and ntted at its lower end with a plunger 6@ for engagement with thecross pin 58, tends normally to maintain the slide 52 and channel guide20 in the normal z raised position, which is determined by the positionof angular adjustment of the cross pin 58 and eccentric cam 60. Thecross pin 58 is provided at one end with a slot 68 adapted `toreceive ascrew driver or similar tool, for the con-- venient adjustment of thenormal operating position of. the channel guide 20 with relation to thestitch forming devices including the needle I8. Adjustment in theangular position of the cross pin 53 and eccentric cam 60 is made insetting up the machine to bring the botto-rn edge of the channel guide2i! substantially in line with the radius of mo-vement of the outsideedge of the needle I8. The arrangement of the eccentric cam E!) and theslot 56 is such that the slide' 52 is permitted a downward movementagainst the pressure of its spring E2 of a definite amount which in theillustrated embodiment of the-invention is about le". l

Further in accordance with the invention, mechanism is pro-vided, whichis controlled from the pattern cam shaft 44 of the machine, forautomatically controlling the adjustment of the channel guide 2!) withrelation to the stitch forming devices to vary the depth at which theneedle strikes into the work during the progress of the sewing operationabout the sole margin of the shoe. This mechanism comprises a cam' 'Hlon the pattern cam shaft 44, and a can) lever 12, supported on theVertical pivot shaft *i4 and provided with a roll 16 for engagement withthe cam 10. The cam lever l2 is connected by means of a link 18 with onearm of a bell-crank lever 8B, the other arm of which is connected by alink 82 with a guide contro-l lever 84 pivotally supported at 86 on themachine head. A forwardly extending arm of the charme] guide` controllever 84 is arranged for engagement in a notch 88 formed in the slide52. The contour of the pattern cam is such that at the starting'position of the machine the channelv guide 20 will occupy its extremedownward position determined by the engagement of the cam 60 with theupper side of the slot 56, so that the needle i8 will strike into thework at an abnormally high level. During the formation of the initialstitches of the seam, the channel guide is gradu ally raised to itsnormal operating position determined by the engagement of the under sideof the slot 56 with the under side of the eccentric canr 60. During theformation of the iinal stitches of the seam, the channel guide is againgradually depressed to its extreme low position, so that the needleagain is caused to strike into the work at an abnormally high levelduring the formation of these stitches.

The invention having been described. what is Claimed is:

l. An inseam sewing machine arranged for sewing together an insole andassociated upper having, in combination, stitch forming devices,including a curved needle, work positioning devices including a workengaging member disposed to determine the depth at which the needlestrikes into the work, means for shifting the rela-f tive position ofthe work engaging member and stitch forming devices to vary the depth atwhich the needle strikes into the work, and means for controlling saidshifting means to vary the depth of the stitching in the work during theprogress of the sewing operation about the shoe.

2. An inseam sewing machine arranged for sewing together an insole andassociated upper having, in combination, stitch forming devicesincluding a curved needle, work positioning devices including a workengaging member shiftable with relation to the stitch forming devices tovary the position of the insole and upper with relation to the needleand thereby to determine the depth at which the needle strikes into thework, and means for controlling the position of the work engaging memberto vary the depth of the stitching in the work during the progress ofthe sewing operation about the shoe.

3. An inseam sewing machinev having, in combination, stitch formingdevices including a curved needle, work positioning devices including achannel guide, and means operative during the progress of the sewingoperation about the shoe for shifting the position of the channel guidewit relation to the stitch forming devices to vary the depth at whichthe needle strikes into the work.

4. An inseam sewing machine having, in combination, stitch formingdevices including a curved needle, work positioning devices including achannel. guide, and means operative during the progress ofthe sewingoperation about the shoe for shifting the relative positions of thechannel guide and stitch forming devices to vary the depth at which theneedle strikes into the work.

5. An inseam sewing machine having, in combination, stitch formingdevices including a curved needle, work positioning devices including achannel guide, and automatic means operative during the progress of thestitching about the shoe to shift the relative positions of the channelguide and stitch forming devices to vary the depth at which the needlestrikes into the work.

6. An inseam sewing machine arranged for sewing together an insole, theassociated upper, and a welt having, in combination, stitch formingdevices including a curved needle, work positioning devices including achannel guide shiftable to determine the depth at Which the needlestri-'kes into the work', and means for controlling the position of thechannel guide to cause the needle to strike into the Work at anabnormally high level during the formation of those stitches of the seamadjacent the breast line of the heel. '7. An inseam sewing machinearranged for sewing together an insole, the associated upper and a Weltextending from the breast line of the heel around the shank and forwardportion of a shoe having, in combination, stitch forming devicesincluding a curved needle, work positioning devices including a channelguide shiftable to determine the depth at which the needle strikes intothe work, and automatic means operable during the progress of thestitching about the shoe for shifting the position of the channel guideto cause the needle to strike into the work at an abnormally high levelduring the formation of the initial stitches leaving the breast line ofthe heel'and at the end of the sewing operation during the formation ofthe final stitches approaching the breast line of the heel.

8. An inseam sewing machine arranged for sewing together an insole, theassociated upper, and a welt having, in combination, stitch formingdevices including a curved needle, work positioning devices including achannel guide movable to vary the position of the Work with relation tothe needle, means for positively stopping the channel guidealternatively in a normal position with respect to the needle, and in apredetermined depressed position for causing the needle to strike intothe work at an abnormally high level, and means operable during theprogress of the stitching around the shoe to shift the channel guide ifffrom oneto the other of said positions.

9. An inseam sewing machine arranged for sewing together an insole, theassociated upper, and a welt having, in combination, stitch formingdevices including a curved needle, work positioning devices including achannel guide, a slide on which the cannel guide is mounted for movementto vary the position of the work with relation to the needle, adjustablemeans for positively stopping the slide and channel guide alternativelyin a normal position with respect to the needle and in a depressedposition for causing the needle to strike into the work at an abnormallyhigh level comprising a transverse slot in the slide, an eccentric camsupported for angular adjustment on the machine and loosely tted withinsaid slot, spring means for supporting the slide and channel guide insaid normal position, and means for controlling the position of thechannel guide during the progress of the stitching about the shoelcomprising an element arranged to act on said slide against thepressure of said spring means.

10. In an automatic machine, the combination of an inseam sewingmechanism adapted for sewing together the insole, associated upper andwelt, including a curved hooked needle, a channel guide, a shoesupporting jack, means forimparting positioning movement to the jack topresent the shoe to the sewing mechanism and to transfer the point ofoperation about the shoe, means for shifting the relative position ofthe channel guide and needle to vary the depth at whichthe needlestrikes into the work, and automatic means for controlling said shiftingmeans to vary the depth of the stitching in the work at predeterminedpoints during'the progress of the stitching about the shoe. i

11. In an automatic machine, the combination of an inseam sewingmechanism adapted for sewing together the insole, associated upper andwelt, including a curved hooked needle, a channel guide, a shoesupporting jack, means for imparting positioning movements to the jackto present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and` to transfer the pointof operation about the shoe, means for shifting the relative position ofthe channel guide and needle to vary the depth at which the needlestrikes into the work, and auto.- matic means for controlling saidshifting means,i to cause the needle to strike into the work at an)abnormally high level during the formation ofi those stitches of theseam adjacent the breast line of the heel.

12. In an automatic machine, an inseam sewing mechanism arranged forsewing together an insole, associated upper and welt, including a curvedhooked needle, a channel guide shiftable to vary the depth at which theneedle strikes into the work, a shoe supporting jack, supporting andactuating mechanism for the jack arranged to present the shoe to thesewing mechanism and to transfer the point of operation about the shoe,including a pattern cam shaft, and means including a cam on the patterncam shaft and connections therefrom for controlling the position of thechannel guide to vary the depth of the stitching in the work during theprogress of the sewing operation about the shoe.

13. In an automatic machine, an inseam sewing mechanism arranged forsewing together an insole, associated upper and welt, including a curvedhooked needle, a channel guide, a support on which the channel guide isvertically shiftable with respect to the sewing mechanism including theneedle, a shoe supporting jack, supporting and actuating mechanism forthe jack arranged to present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and totransfer the point of operation about the shoe, including a pattern camshaft, and means actuated from the pattern cam shaft for controlling thevertical position of the channel guide.

